Safety

You may have to child-proof your home before bringing your new puppy home. Get down low in the house and see things from your dogs view point. Anything that can be chewed will be chewed. TV remote controls, legs of furniture, carpet, paper, shoes, electric cords, and children’s toys can be fun for them to chew but may be both dangerous and costly to replace.

Be careful of the dog toys you choose. They may chew pieces off of them which will become a choking hazard. Stuffed toy plastic eyes or noses, tags, and squeakers from the inside can be dangerous. Balls that can be chewed to pieces or balls that are small enough to become lodged in your dog’s throat should be avoided.

Take care when using collars and long leashes. Leaving your dog unattended outside on a long lead could result in them getting tangled or strangling. Open water such as ponds or swimming pools may draw their attention only to turn into a very scary situation for both of you.

Garbage inside the house, garage, or at the curb may provide a great scent. But the items in the garbage may be fatal. Cooked chicken bones will splinter when they are chewed causing internal injury. Automotive anti-freeze smells and tastes sweet but is toxic and lethal to dogs.

Crate training your dog when they are a puppy will provide them with a safe and secure place to stay where they can avoid some of the household hazards when you are not with them. It also will make them a more welcome visitor if you need someone to care for them while you are out of town.

Foods suitable for people may be harmful or fatal to your pet. Never give your dog chocolate, grapes, raisins, alcohol, hops, onions, rhubarb leaves, yeast dough, mushrooms, macadamia nuts, or caffeine. Also be aware that many plants we keep in our homes and gardens may be poisonous to dogs. This is worthy of researching on the internet to get the lists of them and then get rid of those that you have around your house.

Christmas Time is a busy time for families but it is so important to make sure everywhere you take your Coton is safe for them. Some preservatives added to the water for live trees is poisonous to dogs. Also poisonous are mistletoe, poinsettas, and holly. Some artificial sweeteners found in sugar free gum can kill dogs. Keep all goodies away from pets.